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(No Model.) eeeeeeeeeeeeee W. LWANDS. AUTOMATIC SWITGH;'GLOSER.-

No. 522,308. Patented July 3, 189.4.

(II-'0 Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2. W.- I WANDS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH CLOSER.

N0. 522.308. Patented July 3, 1894.

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- Kansas, have invented a new and usefulAu- WASHINGTON I. WVANDS, OF'KIRWIN,

ATENT Fries.

KANSAS, ASSIGNOR ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY W. LANDES, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH-CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 522,308, dated July 3,1894.

" Application filed November 21, 1893. Serial no. 491,540. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WASHINGTON I. WANDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kirwin, in the county of Phillips and State of tomaticSwitch-Closer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a switch closer adapted to be operated by thetrain when approaching the switch from either direction, and theobjectsin view are to provide simple and efficient mechanical means foraccomplishing the automatic closing of the switch when the parts of thecloser are released by contact witha trip located on the line of thetrack; and to provide means whereby the switch-rails may be set for theside-track with-- out interfering with the automatic closing devices, orpreventing the subsequent return of the rails to their normal positionsin connection with the main. track.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing descrip- Y tion,and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a switch-closingmechanism embody ing myinvention. Fig.2 is an enlarged view, with thecasing partly broken away, of the trip or trigger whereby the closingmechanism is released. Fig. 3 is a detail view, with the casing partlybroken away, of the closer as seen when the swith-rails are inconnection with the main track. Fig. 4is a similar view showing theparts as arranged when the switch-rails are set for the siding track.Fig; 5 is a similar view, showing the arrangement of the parts whenreleased by the operation of the trip or trigger.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

1 designates the rails of the main track, 2 the rails of the sidingtrack, and 3 the switchrails which in Fig.1 are shown in connection withthe main track.

4 represents the horizontal, longitudinallymovable switch-bar, whichextends beneath and is secured to the switch-rails near their free ends,the other end of said switch-bar being pivotally connected to thelowerend of the switch-lever 5. This switch-bar is divided andcomprises twosections or members, which for convenien'ce l willterm the rail-section4andthelever-section 4". These sections overlap within the box or casing6, and are provided at their contiguous ends with shouldered jaws 7 and8, respectively, the extremities ofsaid jaws being beveled to facilitatetheir re-engagement after discon-' 6o nection.

Between a stationary partition 9, located in the box or casing 6, and ashoulder 10, upon the rail-section of the switch-bar, is a powerfulactuating or return spring 11, the function of which is to move theswitch-bar toward the track and thus close the switch by bringing theswitch-rails into alignment .withthe main track rails. When the jawscarried by the members of the switch-bar are 7c in engagement, as shownin Fig. 3, the switchbar may be drawn back by means of the switch-lever5, to open the switch or bring the switch-rails intoalignment with thesiding; but, inasmuch as the lever-section of the switch-bar ispivotally connected to the operating lever and is, therefore, capable ofa swinging movement, it will be seen that by elevating the jaw 8 therail-section of-the switch-bar will be returned by the-actuating 8ospring. Hence, even if the operating lever is lockedin the siding-trackposition, the Switch-rails may be returned to their normal or closedposition. I I

In connection with the above-described mechanism I employ a trip-lever12, also 10- cated in the box or casing 6, and provided with a lateralstud 13, which is arranged in position to engage a slot 14, in the jaw8, when the switch-bar is drawn back to.the siding- 0 track position, asshown in'Fig. 4. This triplever is held, normally, with its stud 13 inalignment with the slot 14, by means of the springs 15, asclearly shownin'said Fig. 4. The mechanism whereby this trip-lever is operated afterthe engagement of the stud 13'with the slot 14 to disconnect the jaws 7and 8, consists of a trigger 16, arranged near one side of the maintrack ata considerable distance from the switch, and preferablyabout'three hun- I00 dred feet; and a counterbalance wheel operated bysaid trigger and connected, by means of a cable 17, to the outer or freeend of the trip-lever 12. Said trigger consists of a bar of steel, orsimilar material, pivoted at one end to a standard 18, inclined upwardlytoward its free end and provided with a depending link 19, which isfulcrumed upon a bolt 20, on the said wheel. The cable 17, which ispreferably of wire, is connected to the other bolt 21, which is locatedat such a point upon the wheel that when the link 19 is depressed thecable is drawn in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Thistrigger is adapted to be operated by any suitable arm projectinglaterally from the engine of an approaching train, said arm being fixed,whereby as it passes along the upper edge of the trigger the latter isdepressed at its free end, thus turning the wheel, drawing upon the wirecable, and throwing the trip-lever into the position shown in Fig. 5, inwhich the jaws are disengaged and the switch-bar is returned by itsactuating spring 11 to its normal position. The counterbalance wheel isprovided with a weighted portion 22 to return the trigger to its normalposition and allow the cable to be retracted by the springs 15, whensaid trigger is relieved from engagement with the bar carried by theengine. The wheel is preferably arranged in a box or housing 24, and thecable should be similarly arranged for safety.

From the above description it will be apparent that to set the switchfor the siding track, it is necessary to move the switch-bar inopposition to the resistance of the actuating or return spring 11, andtherefore when the trip-lever, which is brought into positive engagementwith the jaw 8 by the retraction of the switchbar, is operated bycontact with a trigger, it being understood that a trigger constructedas above described is arranged on the main track on each side of theswitch, the jaws 7 and 8 will be disengaged, thus removing allopposition to the return, by the actuating spring, of the switch-rails.To communicate the motion of the cable which is arranged upon the farside of the track to the trip-lever, I employ a horizontal intermediatelever 25, which is connected to the triplever by a link 26.

In order to facilitate the return of the switchrails to their normalposition, and avoid all unnecessary friction in the movement thereoftoward said normal position, I employ wedge-blocks 27, whereby the endsof the switch-rails are elevated slightly as they are moved to alignmentwith the switchtrack. Hence, upon the return movement less resistance isoffered and the operation of the actuating or return spring is renderedmore positive and certain.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a switch-closingmechanism, the combination of a switch-bar comprising detachablesections connected, respectively, to the switch-rails and an operatinglever, and provided with interlocking jaws, an actuating or returnspring connected to the rail-section of said switch-bar, a trip-leverconnected to one of the interlocking jaws, and means to be operated by atrain for moving said trip-lever to disengage the jaws, substantially asspecified.

2. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a'dividedswitch-bar having independent sections connected respectively to theswitch-rails and an operating lever and provided with interlockingjaws,the jaw of the lever-section being provided with a longitudinalslot, an actuating or return spring connected to the rail-section of theswitch-bar, a spring-actuated trip-lever provided with alateral stud toengage the longitudinal slot in the jaw of the lever-section of theswitch-bar when the switch-bar is retracted to the sidingtrack position,a trigger adapted to be operated by an approaching train, andconnections between the trigger and said foot-lever, substantially asspecified.

3. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination of a switch-barcomprising independent rail and lever sections connected,

respectively, to the switch-rail and an operating lever and providedwith interlocking jaws, an actuating spring to normally hold therail-section in the main-track position, a trip-lever arranged inoperative relation with said jaws to engage the jaw of the lever-sectionwhen the switch-bar is retracted to the siding-track position, a pivotedtrigger arranged adjacent to the main track,a counterbalance wheeloperatively connected to the free end of said trigger, and a cableconnecting the trip-lever to the counterbalance Wheel, whereby when thetrigger is depressed the trip-lever is actuated to disengage the jawswhich unite the sections of the switchbar, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto ailixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VASl-IINGTON I. WVANDS.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. LANDES, E. H. HOWARD.

